Damages Under Connecticut Law For Unpaid Wages And Bonuses

If an employer refuses to pay wages to an employee, Connecticut statutory law in some circumstances provides for double damages, costs and attorney’s fees. If an employer fails to pay wages and there is a finding of bad faith, arbitrariness or unreasonableness, an employee could be entitled to double damages. The statutory law is often referred to as the Connecticut Wage Act.

Employee Bonus Under Connecticut Wage Law

Many employers and employees want to know what constitutes a wage under Connecticut law. For example, are performance or retention bonuses considered wages? The answer likely depends on your circumstances and the nature of the bonus agreement. To assist our clients, they will want to know if the bonus was based on company performance or was it based on individual work effort or performance. They will want to examine all of your contractual agreements and writings concerning the retention payments or bonus plan to determine if Connecticut law applies and if a claim exists under the Connecticut Wage Act.

It is important for both employers and employees to consider that individuals and companies can be held responsible for double damages for failure to pay wages in some circumstances. Individual liability may depend on who was in control of the company or who was responsible for the wage violation. Double damages will depend on the circumstances of the particular situation.

Recently, Connecticut’s wage and bonus laws have been in the national spotlight following the intense reaction and scrutiny over the AIG bonus and retention payments for AIG’s Wilton, Connecticut, office. Raymond Law Group LLC attorney was asked his opinion on many of these issues by the Hartford Courant. Read here for more. Whether the AIG bonus plan was a wage under Connecticut law potentially exposing AIG to double damages for failure to pay would require examination of specific contractual terms.

Did Your Employer Fail To Pay Your Bonus Or Fair Wages? Contact Us.

If you have questions concerning claims for unpaid wages, retention bonus payments or a performance bonus, you should contact us at 860-633-0580 or via our online form for a consultation.